Charges Dropped in Rochester Police Informant Robbery Case

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - The criminal complaint against one of the men charged with robbing a Rochester police informant has been dropped. Court records show the first-degree aggravated robbery charge filed against 50-year-old Larry Schaaf has been dismissed because there is insufficient evidence to prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

The Faribault man had been accused of brandishing a knife during a meeting he had arranged with the informant to purchase drugs in January of last year. It was during that meeting, and another arranged by 36-year-old Daniel Schmitz of Faribault, that Richard Patton robbed the police informant of a total of about $1450 at gunpoint. The 38-year-old Rochester man also forced the informant to smoke meth, in an apparent test to determine if he was working with police.

Schmitz previously pleaded guilty to a simple robbery charge in the case, while Patton admitted to a first-degree aggravated robbery charge. Patton was sentenced last August to a little over 9-years in prison.